Warehouse Management System

Integrated bar-code system leads to real-time inventory, increased order accuracy and improved shipping standards

One of the nation’s largest publishers of books in the K-12 and Higher-Education markets shipped publications to all major book retailers, college retailers and direct to schools and universities. The volume is extremely seasonal, with huge increases in transactions in just a few months of the year. During these peak seasons, orders were batched periodically and sent to the warehouse, causing huge peaks and valleys in the warehouse operations. Order quantities vary substantially, with just a few books in one order, to cases or pallets on another. With all the cases looking alike.

SVA replaced a custom bar-code collection system with a full WMS from Accellos tightly-integrated with Microsoft Dynamics. All receipt, inventory movement and orders integrate in real-time between the WMS and Dynamics, allow in the warehouse to better utilize labor dollars and increasing their ability to ship later in the day. SVA integrated the WMS with carousel pick-to-light and conveyor automation to create an efficient, automated process in the warehouse. Because all product is now scanned and integrated real-time, inventory and order accuracy have both soared.

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High-value inventory located quickly in warehouse and shipped accurately with integrated system

An online retailer distributes brand-named outdoor power equipment directly to consumers. Remaining price competitive and delivering the right product, on-time, is critical to their success. Their products are highly-seasonal and move through the warehouse quickly. Traditionally, this made it difficult for warehouse workers to quickly find product. In this industry, different models of similar product may look alike, yet carry very different price points. Combine all of this with very high freight costs and mis-shipping product could be disastrous - both to their profit and reputation.

Using Accellos One Warehouse, tightly integrated with their custom eCommerce website and Microsoft Dynamics, all product is pre-labeled with barcodes and scanned as it arrives at the warehouse. The Accellos warehouse management system (WMS) helps direct them when they put the product away as well as locate product quickly when it is time to ship. Since the product is barcoded, simple scanning ensures the right product is being shipped to the right customer. Because every product is scanned whenever it is moved within the warehouse, the high-value inventory is now extremely accurate.

Automation & integration of systems and processes creates accuracy, forecasting and improved tracking

A medium-sized manufacturer produces critical components to an international manufacturer of well-known outdoor power equipment. Their business is highly-seasonal and yet their components are all sourced overseas. This in turn, requires inventory accuracy and substantial planning of inventory purchases. All orders are sent via EDI based on forecast and then eventually blanket releases.

Using a combination of Microsoft Dynamics and Accellos, they now receive all of their purchase orders automatically into their ERP software when they arrive via EDI. They use bar-code data collection and warehouse management to keep inventory extremely accurate and track product directly to the production orders. With inventory accurate and timely recording of transactions, they utilize Material Requirements Planning (MRP) to properly plan and forecast their component purchases and finished goods production.